St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-10-01
PILLSBURYS BEST.
An Attache of the Reform Admins.
trati0n on the Hooks.
A NICE LITTLE SHORTAGE
Claimed to Have Accrued in the Ac-
counts of Ex-Supt. West, of
the W0rkh0use.

At yesterdays session of the city
council Aid. L'Herault sprang a mild
sensation on the community in the way
of a resolution asking that the ac-
counts of the eX-superintendent of the
workhOuse, John West, should be in
vestigated. The alderman is chairman
of the committee on workhouse and it
appears that soon after his appoint
ment last spring his suspi,-
were aroused. He quietly instituted
some inquiries and first learned from
the comptroller that certain moneys re-
ceived by West had not been paid over
to the city. Further investigation sat
iSfied him that West had been receiv-
ing money he had not accounted for,
and he informed Matt Gross, the pres
ent superintendent, who of course be-
came alarmed lest he should be held ac-
countable. He wrote West, asking for
an interview, and received the follow
ing letter in reply:
Minneapolis, Mimi, June IL, Hon. Matt
house-My Dear Sir: Your letter of June Is
just received. In reply will say as an excuse
have been so busy since l saw you that
have been crowded for time The most of my
time has been in Chicago ana
here from Chicago whom l must pay atten-
ton to, as it is business to me, but rest as
sured of one thing-you will never be called
upon to answer for any of my official acts.
AS soon as can get time l will give you
full statement of the matter in question, and
turn over to you or the city treasurer all
moneys in my charge. Yours very respect
fully, JOHN WEST,
116 Thirteenth street south.
Aid. L'Herault next ascertained that
page was missing from petit ac-
OF no d.
process he induced West to
Gross. West also turned in three re-
ceiptS as vouchers, which, however,
were never submitted to the council
committee on claims. One was for $40.
being signed by Oluf Olsen, for suit of
clothes lost while he was an inmate of
the wOrkhouse. Another was from G.
w. Higgins, for S22, being the price of
twelve hens at IS cents each and twenty
six at so cents each. The third was
from A. F. Russ, for $3.50, team hire in
pursuing an escaped convict. In addi-
ton it has been discovered that he re-
ceived $50 for fodder sold Feb. L; Dec.
Is, 1886, 50 for empty Oil barrels sold to
Anthony Kelly & Co. E. A. Weston,
the mounted petroman. also boarded at
the workhouse and paid West $40 for
two months board for himself and his
horse. Then it is claimed that
West pocketed SIS received from the
sale of postage stamps to prisoners and
contributions given to the library fund
deposited in a collection box. The al
derman went before the grand jury
Sept. IA, and by a peculiar circumstance
West two days later went to the city
comptroller and paid over S32.7O, which,
he explained. was due the city. For
some reason ''the best grand jury ever
drawn in Hennepin county" did not
care to return an Indictment, although
Aid. L'Herault appeared with facts and
figures in the shape of Vests own re-
ceiptS. Failing to secure attention he
yesterday introduced the following res
OlutiOn:
That, whereas, John West, ex-superintend
ent of the workhouse, in his annual report to
this council, dated March 1, 1887, does not
report the amount of money received by
him, and,
Whereas part of the money by him so re-
ceived has not yet been paid to the city:
Therefore, resolved that committee of
five be appointed by the president of this
council and the city attorney, with power to
send for persons and papers, with instruc-
lions to investigate the report of said John
West and to report at the next meeting of
this council
President Mareck appointed the fol-
committee: Aid. L'Herault, Cole, Glea
son, Reeve and Irwin, and the chair
man has called the meeting for Tues
day, at 10 a. m.
A motion by Aid. Dwyer, instructing
the Minneapolis Street Railway COM
pany to extend its Lake street line to
Thirty-fourth street, was referred to the
committee Oh railroads.